Self-supporting egg carton



Sept. 17, 1935.

C. S. ANTON SELF: SUPPORTING EGG CARTON Filed Jan. 6, 1954 Patented Sept. 17, 1935 winter UNiTED STATES PATENT orFicE Christ S. Anton, Chicago, Ill.

Application January 6, 1934, Serial No. 705,613

6 Claims.

same time affords adequate and satisfactory support for the articles.

One of the important objects of this invention is the provision of a carton so constructed as to afford more rigidity.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a locking means for retaining the backs of the bottom element together before any eggs are inserted into the carton.

Another and still further important object of this invention is the provision of slots on the outer edge of the shell which interlock with a central locking means, thereby making the resultant carton more rigid.

A further important object of this invention is the provision of slits for ready insertion of locking tongues on the outside of the carton for final assembly and securing.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawing and folllowing specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a partial plan view of the blank from which the carton is formed.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of one end of the improved egg carton of this invention, showing certain of the locking elements.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of'Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line li of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

As shown in the drawing:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally the main egg supporting element of the improved egg carton of this invention, and has adjacent the two sections it, Hi and 22 which are adapted to be curved to form the lower supporting sections of the device. These curved sections enclose the lower halves of the eggs when they are placed into the usual depressions It formed in the element in by slits preferably staggered with relation to each other asshown in Figure 1.

Also integral with the carton structure are the top elements l8 and 28 which are likewise curved to correspond in shape to the sections I2 and l4.

' It will be noted that the carton is fastened together by a series of integral interlocking elements or tabs so arranged as to provide a positive locking of the same after insertion of the contents. 5 These interlocking arrangements include a series of tabs integral with the material of the carton and adapted to project into cooperating slots formed therein. For example, tabs 2 are formed integral with the lower elements 02 and 10 I4, and extend upwardly into slots 26 formed in the egg-supporting platform It]. When the blank is ready for assembly and filling, the curved receptacles l2 and M are placed in such a position as to have the projections 24 fit into the slots 26 and 28 in the egg-supporting element Ell. These tabs 24 include retaining projections which can be easily positioned due to the flexibility of the material. The slots 26 and 28 are formed by cutting away portions of the egg-supporting de- 20 pressions l6 as best shown in Figure 1.

The tabs or projections 24 are formed integral with the material of the carton by cutting away parts of the adjacent portions of the bottom elements [2 and I4. These projections, after passing through the flat egg-supporting element ID, cooperate with suitable corresponding slots 30 formed in the line of junction of the top elements 18 and 2!]. The last top flap 2!] is locked into position with respect to the egg-sup- 30 porting element H) and the bottom shell member l2 by means of integral tabs 32 which extend into suitable corresponding slots 34 formed in the peripheries of the juxtaposed egg-receiving depressions as shown in Figure 1. Be- 35 fore this can take place, however, the elements 12 and M are originally placed in position and the tabs 38 are forced into the holes or slots 36 While at the same time the bottom element 22 is brought into close relationship with the element 40 I4 and the slots 40 therein, each having a narrowed portion, are slipped over the tabs 38 and locked into position. The carton is then ready for filling, and this eliminates the necessity of holding the carton together until the eggs are placed therein and allows the full use of both hands to complete the operation of filling the carton and closing it for shipment. Figure 3 illustrates the manner in which the carton is locked and the compactness of the unit.

Additionally, a line of perforations 42 extends transversely of the carton, whereby the same may be broken in two for retail sale of half a dozen eggs, if so desired.

It will be further evident that on account of the double thickness of the locking tabs 24, an actual cushioning effect is obtained between adjacent eggs at these points. Obviously, any number of tabs .24 and 32 may be provided from two to six, and a corresponding variation in the number of slots.

The locking tabs 24 are preferably four in number, as the corresponding locking slots 26 and 28 can be very conveniently incorporated into the egg-supporting blank when die-cut without weakening the same. The tabs 24 are cut in an offset manner so as to enable them to fit into the corresponding slots 26 and 28 more easily and to provide a longitudinal shift of the respective portions of the carton, thereby producing the desired locking relationship.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An egg carton, comprising a single piece of material and including an egg-supporting element having slitted depressions therein, portions of said depressions being cut away for the reception of locking tongues, and egg-surrounding elements adjacent the supporting element, said egg-surrounding elements comprising paired top and bottom members, and locking means for preliminarily joining the bottom members.

2. An egg carton, comprising a single piece of material and including an egg-supporting element having slitted depressions therein, portions of said depressions being cut away for the reception of locking tongues, and egg-surrounding elements adjacent the supporting element, said egg-surrounding elements comprising paired top and bottom members, and locking means for preliminarily joining the bottom members, said means including tabs integral with one bottom element and struck out to interfit with openings in the other element.

3. An egg carton, comprising a single piece of material and including an egg-supporting element having slitted depressions therein, portions of said depressions being cut away for the reception of locking tongues, and egg-surrounding elements adjacent the supporting element, said egg-surrounding elements comprising paired top and bottom members, and locking means for preliminarily joining the bottom members, said means including tabs integral with one bottom element and struck out to interfit with openings in the other element, a supplementary bottom element and means for locking the same in position.

4. An egg carton, comprising a single piece of material and including an egg-supporting element having slitted depressions therein, portions of said depressions being cut away for the reception of locking tongues, and egg-surrounding elements adjacent the supporting element, said egg-surrounding elements comprising paired top and bottom members, and locking means for preliminarily joining the bottom members, said means including tabs integral with one bottom element and struck out to interfit with openings in the other element, a supplementary bottom element and means for locking the same in position, said means including slots in said element adapted to interfit with the tabs in the firstnamed bottom element.

5. An egg carton, comprising a single piece of material and including an egg-supporting element having slitted depressions therein, portions of said depressions being cut away for the reception of locking tongues, and egg-surrounding elements adjacent the supporting element, said eggsurroun-ding elements comprising paired top and bottom members, a supplementary bottom element and means for locking the same in position.

6. An egg carton, comprising a single piece of material and including an egg-supporting element having slitted depressions therein, portions of said depressions being cut away for the reception of locking tongues, and egg-surrounding elements adjacent the supporting element, said egg-surrounding elements comprising paired top and bottom members, a supplementary bottom element and means for locking the same in position for the preliminary insertion of eggs in the open carton.

CHRIST S. ANTON. 

